Baltimore County Council extends pandemic emergency order amid partial reopening

Baltimore County Council is extending County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.'s state of emergency order, hours after Olszewski announced the county is moving forward with its first phase of reopening. Council voted 6-1 on Thursday in favor of extending the Democrat’s declaration for another 45 days after the council previously extended the decree twice. Republican Councilmen David Marks and Wade Kach unsuccessfully pushed for amendments to limit the duration of the order, and Councilman Todd Crandell voted against the resolution overall. (Balt Sun)

Harris advocates opening outdoor dining

U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, visited six Eastern Shore restaurants Wednesday, May 20, in Queen Anne’s, Kent and Caroline counties to show owners support as they weather the COVID-19 storm and prepare to reopen, and he continued to push for restaurants to reopen with outdoor seating available rather than carryout only. Five of the six restaurants he visited offer outdoor seating. (Star Dem)

Van Hollen, Cardin, Mikulski endorse Biden for president

U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen joined former Sen. Barbara Mikulski in endorsing Democratic candidate Joe Biden on Thursday in his run for the presidency. In a news release, the three Marylanders touted Biden as a steady hand during unsteady times. Cardin wrote that the country needs a leader “who trusts experts and sciences and puts the health and welfare of our country before himself.” (Balt Sun)

Does it matter where we put voting centers? Surprising Howard County result in April is a cautionary tale.

More than twice as many Republicans as Democrats cast ballots last month at Howard County’s only in-person voting center to choose a successor to the late Rep. Elijah Cummings. In an unusual election in which voters were provided surgical masks to guard against COVID-19, the scarcity of Democratic voters at the county fairgrounds polling site also was striking. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in Howard County and 4-1 overall in the 7th Congressional District, one of the most Democratic in the state. (Balt Sun)

Three top candidates for Baltimore City Council president locked in competitive race, Sun/WYPR/UB poll shows

The three leading candidates for Baltimore City Council president are locked in a tight race with less than two weeks until ballots are due, a new poll for The Baltimore Sun, the University of Baltimore and WYPR-FM shows. State Del. Nick Mosby, a former city councilman, was favored by 24% of likely Democratic voters polled, while Carl Stokes, who once served with him on the council, had 20% support. City Councilwoman Shannon Sneed was not far behind with 18%, representing a surge of interest in recent weeks. (Balt Sun)

Baltimore to offer 4,000 virtual summer jobs to youth with scaled down YouthWorks program

Baltimore’s annual YouthWorks job program will be offered virtually this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young announced Wednesday. Starting July 13 and running for five weeks, the program will offer jobs for 4,000 youth and young adults ages 14 to 21. Participants will work four hours per day, five days a week learning job readiness, career exploration and essential skills training, Young said. (Balt Sun)

Businessman Bob Wallace wants to shake up Baltimore mayor’s race with independent run

Baltimore entrepreneur Bob Wallace is running as an independent for Baltimore mayor, joining a crowded field that he says lacks a candidate with his ability to create jobs. “I didn’t feel they would bring to the table what I felt the city needs right now,” Wallace said in an interview. “The root issue in our city is economic development. I know what it takes to build an economy.” Wallace, 63, announced his candidacy Wednesday during a midmorning video news conference. As an independent, he won’t be on the June 2 primary ballot. (Balt Sun)

Baltimore County Council to vote on extending county executive’s emergency powers

Baltimore County Council is meeting remotely Thursday to consider extending its emergency declaration a third time as the state slowly reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic. County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. declared an emergency order in March for state assistance in obtaining personnel and equipment to respond to the COVID-19 disease. The order allows Olszewski to restrict restaurants, businesses, churches and other places where people gather. The Democrat wants the council to extend his executive action for 45 days because the orders will expire next week. (Balt Sun)